3 Ideas to Steal from Professional Sports Teams to Grow your Business

The world of professional sports has drastically changed.

And I’m not just talking about new training technology or updated equipment.

Cities with professional sports teams have built a community and brand around these teams, capturing the allegiance of their residents.

But, many teams have realized that their “brand” can extend even beyond their geographical region.

What about these teams makes them gain widespread popularity?

And, how can you take advantage of some of these same strategies to grow your own sports training business?

Here are 3 ideas you can steal from of “popular” sports teams that you can implement in your sports academy.

1. Develop a strong social media presence

Whether I am a fan of the team or not, I find myself watching and “liking” their social media content, from inspirational interviews with players to the more lighthearted “question of the day” debates like “what is the correct order of assembling a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?”

There are many ways to build your brand on social media. The teams that have gained popularity have been able to grow their social media channels organically by consistently posting, and sharing their personalities with their followers.

How you can apply this to your business:

Just as the NFL asked rookies to paint their new team’s logos, you can also find fun ways to engage with your athletes and your staff on your social media channels. Document fun fitness challenges. Shout out your athletes who have hit a milestone. Post inspirational content that encourages your athletes to keep working towards their goals.

Related: Social Media Content Ideas for Your Sports Training Business

2. Turn your “players” (employees) into superstars to humanize your brand

As we just discussed, social media provides an outlet for both individuals and teams to showcase their personalities. As a result, they’re able to humanize their brands, which helps foster deeper relationships with their fans.

How? By highlighting their players.

Sports teams and athletes have been able to work together to support personal and professional brands. Even brands like Peloton have partnered with their instructors to turn them into celebrities that have built a cult-like following and strong brand loyalty.

How you can apply this to your business:
Think about how you can turn your sports training business’s staff into superstars. Take a day to highlight your coaches and trainers, turning them into local celebrities. Spend a few hours to shoot some fun photo and video content. Or, interview them on their past experiences or why they chose to get into coaching. Utilize this content to help them package their personal brand. Then, in your brand marketing, highlight opportunities to learn from and train with these individuals.

A common misconception is that doing this will take away from your business. But, when done right, it can help enhance your brand, moving your business up and to the right.

3. Give back to your community

From partnering with local businesses in the form of sponsorship to volunteering, professional sports teams have also given back to the communities they call home. For example, The Indianapolis Colts participate in “Colts Community Mondays” throughout their season, where players participate in community service activities every Monday. Likewise, the Los Angeles Lakers partner with a local hospital to host a Field Day, encouraging kids to get active. These projects can be big or small, one-off or continuous.

How you can apply this to your business:
Now, we know that your budget is probably not the same scale as an NFL or NBA team. But, you can still think of ways that your business can get involved in the community.

• Host a group training session at a local park. Before or after practice, pick up trash, pull weeds, or clean up the surrounding area.
• Host a used sports equipment drive at your facility
  • As your athletes age, they’re outgrowing old equipment or investing in new equipment. And, oftentimes, these are in good shape, just collecting dust in the garage. Add a few bins inside your facility for people to donate new or gently used sports equipment like bats, gloves, cleats, shin guards, balls, shoes, etc. Donate to a local charity or organization that could give this equipment a new life, while also continuing to promote the benefits of youth sports
• Reach out to local businesses about partnering in the form of a fundraiser or sponsorship.

Giving back to the community, even in a small way, can have a growing impact on your business and your athletes.

Next steps

At the end of the day, building a strong brand supported by loyal customers stems from creating a human connection – even online. By leveraging social media, supporting your staff, and giving back to your community, you can enhance your presence in the community and consequently build a positive brand image. Giving your athletes, and prospective clients, a “behind the scenes” look will help you showcase your talented staff, and help athletes visualize how your business will help them achieve their dreams.

If you are looking for a sports management software to help you refocus your priorities away from tedious administrative tasks, Upper Hand can help! Request a demo today to get a personalized walkthrough of the app so that you can give your sports training business the upper hand.